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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: present · lash · rule · pound · perch · vault · fine · last

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. last — final
  6. last — to go on
  7. last — finally
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. present — there
  11. fine — high quality
  12. present — the time now
  13. vault — a safe
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. perch — the fish
  20. pound — a weight
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. rule — government
  23. present — a gift
  24. fine — all right

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com